


The truth about stories…

by Malitia



Series: True lies and deceptive truths [1]
Category: Loki: Agent of Asgard, Thor (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: Gen, Lies and Truths, Loki: Agent of Asgard (2014) #13, Original Sin (Marvel), Ragnarok, Secrets, Teenagers, metaphor!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-19 21:51:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3625518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malitia/pseuds/Malitia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>OK. So my theory about what's coming in Loki: Agent of Asgard #13, which quite frankly will probably be so Jossed (TVTropes ruined my life!) but here you go.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Apparently the "plot" bunny bit me, because there will be more chapters. For better or worse. Expect halfassed philosophising.</p>
<p>Also please forgive my inability to write, plot, and create believable Thor speak.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The truth about stories…

Odinson was restless, Fury's whisper haunting his dreams, and the loss of Mjölnir his waking hours. This was madness, and if true, as he knew it was true, then there might be no hope. He had to talk to someone, anyone... no, he corrected himself, not anyone, but the one person he knew could make sense of it, no matter his feelings. He wanted to scream, to hit something real hard but resisted the urge, there was no use. He had to do this.

Heimdall just glanced at him as he opened the rainbow bridge, didn't even ask where, and he was grateful for this. “Well,” he thought to himself, “at least I'll be able to strike one more name from the list of possible Thors if nothing else.”

His destination was a mess. As he vaguely recalled the property damage was caused by his fit of rage, but the disarray was significantly worsened by a localized tornado, also known as Loki. Loki was... Odinson didn't want to think about it, but Loki's smile was just too wide, and his eyes burned with... what? Passion? Pain? Sadness? Hate? Envy? All of these? He took a deep breath and began:

“Brother. We need to talk...”

“Brother? So I'm your brother again?” Loki's laughter was dry and mirthless “What do you want? What could possibly be so desperately important that you grace the murderer, who wears your beloved brother's cold corpse as a body, with your presence?”

The ironic echo of his own words slapped Odinson in the face, he didn't feel this much disdain, malice and intent to hurt coming from his adopted brother since he died in the Siege of Asgard. He knew he was that Loki at least partially, but this wasn't like the young man he came to know in the last couple of years at all. Something happened to him, something bad.

“Brother. What happened to you?”

“Let's see. The short version: I lost the ability to lie. You denied me, and beat me to an inch of my life. All of Asgard declared me dead. Mother banished me; as if she had any...” Loki didn't finish the sentence but looked at his visitor with a smile that would make a shark jealous “And my future just destroyed my last friendship and sliver of hope. Did I miss anything?”

Odinson stomach sank, he didn't understand it all, but this sounded bad. He began again:

“Loki. I need your advice.”

“Go on.”

“You know brother how I lost Mjölnir? By that accursed whispered secret? I cannot tell it to anybody, but I need to.”

“So you're going to tell me of all people? I'm flattered but this sounds supremely unwise.”

“I cannot tell anybody else. Fury said: “The Asgardians sit above in shadow.”.”

“WHAT?!” Loki exclaimed in shock and began pacing around the room as his mind tried to process the information. Then he burst out laughing madly until he fell on his knees and broke down sobbing uncontrollably. When he spoke, his voice was measured, calm and resigned “Only I saw chains. For the rest of Asgard, knowing the end of the story brought security. How right you were mother.”

“What are you talking about?” Odinson knew, how confusing his brother could be but this was much even from him.

“That's what she told me, when she betrayed me for a future where you get the promised Asgardian throne and golden age and I'm back to the useless self-defeating villainy I died and killed for not to repeat. As for your secret: 'Those who sit above in shadow' were the ones, who created the fate of the gods, the Ragnarök cycle if you wish, the one you broke last time... and they are us. Apparently I was always the sacrifice for the 'greater good'.” He spit out the last words as if they were poison.

“It's not true.” Odinson sat down on the floor beside his brother. “I love mother dearly but she is mistaken, not everybody would sacrifice you.”

“Who for example? You?” Loki asked incredulously. “After what I've done?”

“Yes. Me for example. Even if I don't forgive you, doing that would be just cowardly... no wonder no Asgardian could lift Mjölnir after this came out. What kind of warriors are afraid of the future and change? We're truly not worthy. Well,” Odinson glanced guiltily at his brother “except you.”

“So you DO remember. Are you trying to ask me something?”

“Well, yes. Are you the new Thor?”

Loki just starred at him for a second and then burst out laughing again, but this time there was no madness or pain in it.

“No, and I doubt I could lift the thing again, but thanks for thinking of me.”

“Stranger things have happened. Especially around you. What now?”

“Well, first I've to check on Verity, to see if we can still work it out somehow. And then I...” Loki stopped and looked in his brother's eyes “we need a plan to change our fate!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic title and first two chapter titles is a quote: "The truth about stories is that that's all we are" by Thomas King
> 
> I also quote and reference my source material quite a bit. I'm not creative. I just rearrange and overthink what other people write.


	2. … is that's all we are.

Miss America hovered over the blasted city looking for survivors or clues or anything. The last couple of years were strange. Not only her adventures with the Young Avengers, who knew that such a small godling could cause so much trouble, but also the whole multiverse. Worlds were disappearing and... something was coming... something big and terrible... and before she could finish that thought her phone rang.

For a second she wondered who it could be, but really there could only be one person. Annoyed she glanced at the display, and was surprised to see an unfamiliar number, which meant very little in this case. She pushed the 'answer' button.

“Hi. You don't know me. My name is Verity Willis, and...” Said a woman's voice from the other end of the line.

“And you want me to do something for Loki.” She finished the thought for her.

“No. Actually I would like you to tell me about him. About his time with the Young Avengers. … He says 'hi' by the way. Hey! Stop tha~” there was the sound of struggle and a different more familiar voice took over “Before you ask, she doesn't believe me. Strange, I know. And why you? Because you never liked me very much.”

“Chico, did you become an interdimensional telepath since we last met or am I this predictable? Wait. Don't answer that. Where are you?” As she listened to the answer while she casually kicked open a star portal to Earth... Earth-Earth... Earth-616. Damn was the alternate universe thing confusing at times.

Her next star brought her right in the apartment startling the red haired, tattooed woman sitting on the couch, Verity she presumed; getting a chuckle out of the green wearing source of all trouble, Loki; and a raised eyebrow from the blond guy standing by the door. Is that Thor?

“Okay. So I'm here to tell how this jerkass” she gestured towards Loki “made our life interesting. But first. Excuse me. Are you Thor?” she asked the blond guy.

“Not anymore. Odinson will suffice.”

“Uh. Okay.”

Next spoke the woman “Did the jerk push an innocent boy to the brink of suicide? Drove lovers to doubt their love, parents to hurt their children? Etc.”

“Well. Yes. No. Kinda. You know what? I'll tell you the whole thing. So this began...”

* A ~~tumblr~~ yamblr dashboard style recap page later. *

Verity looked puzzled. “This _is_ more complicated alright.”

“You told them.” Odinson sounded positively hurt. “You actually told them, but you wouldn't tell me. Your own brother. And after what happened I can't even blame you.”

“Also if I didn't the world have ended.” Loki looked strangely proud of this.

“Yeah. You deserve an award for the universe's most epic sulk. Don't make me regret sparing you.” She turned to the redhead. “So why did you want me to tell this again?”

The green menace took the word “Allow me!”

* A green on black “This is the story of Loki. And Verity (because not only my story is worth telling).” recap page later. ”

“Okay. Why isn't Kate around? We need her to yell “ **METAPHOR!** ”.”

“It was totally literal and totally happened.” protested Loki.

Verity looked annoyed and tired and resigned to the madness around her. “Your evil future self claimed you're living myth and metaphor so it could be both, I guess? I can't believe I just said that.”

“I can assure you, lady Verity, most of us are not this confusing.”

“Don't make my jokes for me brother.” Said the god of mischief cheerfully. “Also I'm quite sure that someone, whose mother and maternal step-grandmother is the same person, doesn't have the right to judge me in this regard.” He looked around to see if his words got the desired effect of total confusion. 

“We won't ask.” said America finally. “But what I meant earlier chico is that if we look at your story as a metaphor, then, well, looks like you're a teenager.”

Both Loki's and Odinson's eyes widened in disbelief. “What?!”

“Sudden changes to your body and psyche that you can't even begin to sort out. While warring against expectations and yourself. Not wanting to turn out like your mom um... predecessor. Denouncing, or in your case killing, the perceived childishness that you think bogs you down. Wanting to belong but the same time feeling alone and misunderstood as you try to define yourself, but lack maturity to do it except on the most superficial level, and thanks to this make the exact mistakes you intended to avoid. All the while your family is at best clueless, useless or powerless to help you.” Verity finally stopped ranting and smiled at the others, but her smile was sad and weak.

They sat there in silence for a while as it started to rain outside.


	3. Islands shouting lies to each other…

Verity would've liked to just sit there forever, this conversation made her remember things she tried to forget. Her power of seeing through falsehoods always made her an outcast and her teenage years especially bad. She heard people wishing for a world without lies... they didn't know what they were asking for, truth doesn't care about anybody's feelings. But Loki finally broke the silence:  
“I think I'll cook something, maybe that will lighten the mood a bit.”

“You can cook?” Asked both his brother and the Young Avenger girl with the geographical name.

Verity looked up and said. “Like some goddamned five star chef.”

“I thought he always summoned his food. I mean ordered and made others pay for it.” Shrugged the girl.

“Apparently to make this redemption thing work I've to pay for what I've done.” Said the green menace as he commandeered Verity's kitchen and assessed the lamentably almost empty state of her fridge humming to himself. ♫~...though it's the toughest case I've yet to face...I'm determined to succeed...~♫ “Does anybody want to help?” he asked and both Odinson and America volunteered. It was probably more fun than sitting with her in awkward silence.

There was noise and banter which Verity didn't care for right now, what she wanted is a blanket but she felt too exhausted to get up and get one. This must be the longest day of her life, and she still couldn't fathom why nobody called the police about what happened next door yet... there was a big hole in the wall and all, but than again this was New York.

Some time later her 'guests' came back with trays of deliciously smelling food. Well, to be precise one guest and the other two who let themselves in. Loki claimed he asked the lock nicely to open, but for her this still sounded suspiciously like breaking and entering.

“...Brother. Our mother is wrong...” Said Odinson while putting down a tray, but Loki interrupted him:

“That might be true but I'm apparently the 'god of lies' no matter what I do.”

“And that's bad, why?” Asked America between two bites.

“Being a liar in a land of truth? A deceiver in a world of honest men? Never trusted. Never allowed in.” His voice darkened as the questions slowly turned into statements of bitterness and pain.

“Honest? Loki. Everybody lies. Also look at my life. Truth is overrated.” Said Verity while helping herself to something that looked like cake. “Even your favorite musical knows better than that. How did it go? “Where I come from, we believe all sorts of things that aren't true. We call it history. A man's called a traitor or liberator. A rich man's a thief or philanthropist. Is one a crusader or ruthless invader? It's all in which label is able to persist”.”

“You do know that that's the villain talking, right?” Said Loki sadly “A villain who gives security to people by creating a handy scapegoat to boot. I can't help but see parallels.”

Verity noticed that this made Odinson very uncomfortable, but she continued anyway:  
“Lies are neither bad nor good. Like a fire they can either keep you warm or burn you to death, depending on how they're used. But to quote the Wizard again: “There are precious few at ease with moral ambiguities, so we act as though they don't exist.” You might never be good but you don't have to be evil, no matter what the wrinkled jerkass told you. Also the story is already changing, you just need to avoid his mistakes. Not many adolescents get such a chance.”

“And I don't know about honest men brother, but for example Volstagg's embellished tales of heroism I'm pretty sure aren't true. No matter how I wish he really did roast and eat uncle Cul.” mused Odinson.

“Wouldn't that count as 'art' as the people of Midgard call it?”

“And we all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie created to make us realize truth or at least a “truth” that the artist wants us to understand. What did you think made me detest fiction that much?” Said Verity

“So you say neutrally I'm also the 'god of art'?”

“And propaganda, politics, lawyers and if I push it a bit even the really big lies we call ideals like 'justice' or 'duty'.”

“Those are not lies at all!” America proclaimed. Putting down her plate.

“Our sister would disagree with you.” Said Loki slightly bemused. “She literally called them Nothing.”

“Then America you could go through my science books and show me any justice, or mercy in them because I couldn't find any. Yet we act as if there is some ideal order, as if there is some... Rightness in the universe. And I know we have to believe that, or there is no point...” Verity's voice faded into whisper as she tried to keep herself from bursting into tears.

Loki took her hand. “Look, I won't ask. But I'll be there if you want to tell what happened.” She nodded and he continued. “Because contrary to what my possible future believes not only my tale's worth telling.”

“You said that about Billy too chico, or at least that his story deserved a happier ending.”

The god of mischief winked “You want to deny, that it got one?” America punched him, and for the first time that day Verity laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The 3rd and 4th chapter's titles are a Rudyard Kipling quote.
> 
> Also what Verity says is quoted or paraphrased from the Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (about ideals being lies), World War Z by Max Brooks (about the morality of lies), the lyrics of the song Wonderful from Wicked, and Pablo Picasso (about art being lie).
> 
> Also Loki's humming Popular from Wicked.


	4. …across seas of misunderstanding.

Loki stood in Verity's kitchen. The whole thing went a lot better than expected but now he was stuck doing the dishes. He looked around. Now that the 'burning' thing looked more or less, he hoped for less, way less, unavoidable he might as well... he looked around once more to make sure that all people he secretly called his friends were out of view, then he looked at you grinning:  
“This shall remain our little secret!”

He grabbed the panel border and pulled it until the kitchen sink was perfectly out of frame, then pushed it back and the work was done, all dishes clean and neatly put away.

“Something's missing.” He said seemingly to himself. Maybe. He picked up an apple from the fruit bowl, threw it in the air and caught it several times as if out of boredom and then just let it fall and watched as it went right trough the bottom of the panel. “Perfect!” And with this he walked back to the others.

“No way! How could you finish this fast? Were you cheating, chico?”

“Your accusations wound me my dear America!” said Loki in a mocking tone, but she just rolled her eyes at it. “But you being suspicious of me is nothing new, or could I say as predictable as apples falling downwards.”

*Sound-of-dropped-apple-landing-on-someone's-head*

“OUCH!” America cried out more out of surprise than being hurt, that took a whole lot more than a piece of fruit. “You dirty little rat. This was on purpose!”

“Guilty as charged.” said the young god smiling cheerfully.

“That was an immature prank, brother.” said Odinson while trying very hard not to laugh.

“Well, according to the ladies I'm a teenager, so this might be considered age appropriate behavior.”

Verity starred in disbelief “How did we get from serious discussion on lies to this?”

“I could try telling you, but since the Deadpool incident we were always wary about sharing that kind of enlightenment.” Loki looked amused. “It didn't go well, or maybe went too well. There is no such thing as my plans having unintended consequences!” he grimaced “Damn. So they totally have. Always. And this 'not able to lie' thing is annoying. I mean everybody knows I don't mean it when I joke around like that.”

“Wait... this means the Deadpool thing is true?” Asked America. “Also losing your greatest power must really suck.”

“Was that around the time you, I mean past you, convinced him that he is your son and tricked everybody into believing that he lifted...” Odinson stopped, obviously talking about losing Mjölnir even temporarily was still too hard for him.

Loki nodded. “I... well past me, who died in the Siege of Asgard, broke his brain, or at least broke it more. Many things go back to some version of me in this universe.” he stopped for a second but decided to answer the other question too “And yes. It does suck, and then dad goes all cryptic with things like I should be worthy of my own power and not my brother's and all...” he could almost feel the bitter taste in his mouth, a 'congratulation' was apparently too much to ask from his family.

“Sorry.” Odinson's voice was almost a whisper. “It meant much to you, and I denied it.”

“Well, it was kind of understandable... I wouldn't want to remember either if someone just took my tricks.”

“Chico, I thought my family was messed up, but it's nothing compared to yours.”

Loki smiled at her just too nicely “Should I tell you about the time, past me went back in time to engineer his own adoption?”

“NO!” they said all at once.

“How does someone become worthy or unworthy of your power anyway? I mean this refers to lies, doesn't it?” Verity thought aloud. “When it comes to controlling people there is no better instrument than lies. Because humans, I guess Asgardians too, live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated by lying, from outright falsehoods to selective telling of truth.”

Odinson picked up the thought: “So even the Angels of the Tenth Realm live by belief, even if a twisted one, that only material things matter and ideals are Nothing.” He shook his head in disbelief.

“Didn't you say something similar about your sister? Wait. Let me guess! She was abducted and raised by them, and when you two got wind of this you went and saved her, and then you all had a big reunion party!” America's sarcasm was almost tangible.

Loki laughed. “Almost. I pulled a double agent. She didn't appreciate the saving, kicked his ass” He gestured towards his brother “and stole our little sister at the reunion party.” paused dramatically and with a proud look in his eyes he said finally: “She truly belongs to my side of the family!”

America facepalmed. Verity giggled. Odinson looked embarrassed. And Loki couldn't remember any time when he felt more at home. He almost wished this moment would last forever, but he knew better than that. His wishes never went not horribly wrong. But also there was work to do to save himself and the people he cared about. He needed a plan!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note:  
> What Verity says is paraphrased from The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (the part about the power of lies)
> 
> And that's it for now. I'll try to write a sequel about the plan... but that might take a while as it involves planing which is really not my forte.


End file.
